Nail Art – History, Origin, and More

The
history of nail polish or nail art dates as far back as 7,000 years. The idea
behind applying a fresh coat of nail polish didn’t happen overnight; it is a
long and creative journey that’s full of ups and downs. It is a combination of Victorian
chaste and endless moments of non-inspiration. Let’s dive deeper into the
colorful and artistic history of nail art.

Nail art started in China

Nail
polish first appeared in China. The Chinese made it from beeswax, gelatin,
egg white, gum, and vegetable dyes. They applied the mixture and allowed it to
sit for a few hours, which resulted in a pink finish on their nails; this was
the earliest recorded data about nail art.
Moreover, the Indians and Egyptians also loved putting some colors on
their nails. They made nail polish out of an orange dye from the Henna plant.
Way back in 1300 BC, social classes were determined through the color of nail
polish. Royalties wore silver and gold, which later on transitioned to red and
black.

Nail art in Europe and the USA

When
the 19th century rolled in, nails were buffed with chamois cloth and nails were
colored with scented red oils. This is also the era where nail designs were
modernized. Contemporary manicures started when Orange sticks were invented in
Europe in 1830. By the late 19th century, salons have begun to open all over
the US. After the invention of the automobile and automobile paint, Cutex released the first-ever
modern nail polishes in 1917. This gave life to colored nail glosses and took
nail art to a whole new level. One of the pioneer designs in nail art history
was the “moon manicure”. It involved painting the entire nail except
for the moon of the nail.

The
next innovation was made by Charles Lachman and the Revson brothers with their
invention of a unique type of nail enamel and their establishment of the
company Revlon. They defied the nail industry by using pigments rather than
dyes. This gave way to new designs and colors utilized in nail art. With
stylish and unique nail embellishments, textures, and sheens designs crafted by
artists ranging from minimal to futuristic.

Nail art today

Since
then, the nail art industry continued to evolve. Nails have become a massive
part of an entire outfit, with adhesives giving a one of a kind level of
complexity to manicure designs. The innovation didn’t stop there. In 2007, the
nail technology welcomed Minx stick-ones. In 2008, Creative Nail Design’s
Shellac launched the first-ever gel
polish, a resilient nail polish that can last for two weeks! In previous
years, DIY nail art dominated the nail industry. With so many tutorials and
blog content online, people are skipping the salons and are now doing their
nails at home.

Today,
nail art continues to evolve into an even artistic and creative form. But this
time, people have the freedom to customize their nail designs using various
blings such as crystals, nail wraps, acrylic, magnetic polish, crackle polish,
gel polish, nail brushing, and more. Nail art genuinely became an essential
statement in the fashion world.

Photo Attribution:

Featured
and 1st image from https://pixabay.com/photos/painting-fingernails-nail-polish-635261/